How to Play Sunderfolk: Useful Tips for Beginners

Sunderfolk is a fun, turn-based, TableTop-style tactical RPG where you and your friends battle it out on a grid filled with enemies, items, and surprises. Controlled by your phone or tablet, the game offers a flexible, accessible co-op experience, whether you're playing together in the same room or remotely.

You will choose character classes such as thieves, berserkers, magicians or fire magicians, and use skill cards to overcome challenges. Get ready for an adventure in the world of humanoid animals and wild forests!

Select character class

Each player chooses a character from four classes: Rogue, Bard, Arcanist, Berserker, Wizard, or Pyromancer.

Actions in the game are performed through ability cards, with an emphasis on precise placement and positioning on the map.

Before you begin, you'll need to choose a character class. Each class has its own playstyle and role, so consider your personal preferences as well as the needs of your team:

Arcanist

Role: Battlefield control, magical damage, tactical support.

Strengths:

1. Spells range from high damage to creating decoys or teleporting teammates/enemies.
2. Ability to change the course of battle with wide-range spells.
3. Remote support, keep safe location.

Weaknesses:

1. Low health and armor, vulnerable to being taken down if approached.
2. High mana consumption, need careful skill management.
3. Suitable for: Players who enjoy complex tactics and remote control of the game.

Bard

Role: Support teammates, weaken enemies, increase team power.

Strengths:

1. Use magical music to buff, heal, or speed up teammates.
2. Inflicts debuffs on enemies, such as slowing or reducing damage.
3. The ability to reposition enemies or teammates for tactical advantage.

Weaknesses:

1. Low direct damage, depends on teammates to deal damage.
2. Need to coordinate well with the team to be effective.
3. Suitable for players who enjoy support roles, team coordination, and creating surprises.

Berserker

Role: Tanker, deals close range damage, protects teammates.

Strengths:

1. High health and armor, good resistance.
2. Deals heavy damage at close range, can throw enemies or teammates to change position.
3. Ideal for initiating fights or protecting the backline.

Weaknesses:

1. Low mobility, easily surrounded.
2. Depend on support from teammates to survive longer.
3. Suitable for: Players who like aggressive, front-line play.

Pyromancer

Role: Deals area damage, controls area.

Strengths:

1. Burn multiple enemies at once with fire magic.
2. Creates a chaotic effect, disrupting enemy formations.
3. High damage, especially effective against large groups.

Weaknesses:

1. Large mana consumption, need skill management.
2. Can accidentally harm teammates if not careful.
3. Suitable for: Players who want to deal massive damage and control the battlefield.

Ranger (Archer/Hunter)

Role: Ranged attack, trap setting, tactical support.

Strengths:

1. Deals consistent damage from a distance.
2. Set traps or inflict debuffs to slow/lock enemies.
3. Hold a safe position, supporting the team from the back.

Weaknesses:

1. Low health, vulnerable to being knocked out if approached.
2. Depend on the front line for protection.
3. Suitable for: Players who prefer safe, tactical play from a distance.

Rogue

Role: Fast damage dealer, resource gatherer, dodger.

Strengths:

1. Move flexibly, attack quickly.
2. Collect gold/items to power up or support the team.
3. Activate the Shrouded effect to avoid damage.

Weaknesses:

1. Low health and armor, easy to kill if caught.
2. Precise positioning is required to be effective.
3. Suitable for: Players who enjoy speed and tactical opportunities.

Tips for choosing character classes:

Coordinate with friends to create a balanced team (e.g. Berserker frontline, Bard support, Pyromancer AoE damage). Feel free to experiment with a few teams before you find one that works for you.

Gameplay Mechanics

Since it is a turn-based combat game, you will have to choose carefully for each step you take. On each turn, you choose a skill card from your character's deck. This card determines your actions, from attacking, moving, to collecting items.

Strategy: The cards emphasize sequencing and positional play, similar to the Gloomhaven game.

For example:

The Thief can choose the card: 'Quick attack, pick up gold nearby' to deal damage and loot some money. Or they can choose a more complex sequence like: 'Move 2 spaces, attack, move 1 space, attack again, move 1 space to activate the Shrouded effect'.

There is no set order for each move, so your strategy can adapt to any situation on the battlefield. New enemies appear every turn, so you and your team will always have to find new ways to complete your mission.

Your goal is to complete missions such as defeating all enemies, touching markers on the map, or you can choose to survive past a certain threshold.

Control by phone/tablet

Establish:

1. The main screen (TV, laptop, or stream) will display the map and match status.
2. Scan the QR code from the home screen to connect your phone/tablet.
3. Use the touch screen to select cards, move characters, or interact with items/NPCs.

Initial feel: It can be a bit difficult to get used to, but the lack of lag and tactile feedback help you adapt quickly.

Tip: Spend the first few minutes of the game experimenting with card selection and moves. After a few turns, you'll get used to it and feel pretty comfortable.

Play together

The game offers players two multiplayer modes, including:

1. Couch co-op: The group sits together, uses a shared screen (like a living room TV) and controls via phone.
2. Play remotely: One game owner shares their screen via Discord, Zoom, or Google Meet. Others scan a QR code to join.

And whether near or far, you can play comfortably without the need for complicated equipment.

AFK Player Support Mechanism

If a player is unable to join, the game will automatically adjust the difficulty and keep their character leveled up to the same level as the group. If a player leaves the game mid-game, another player can temporarily take control of both characters to continue the game. If you find yourself unable to continue the game, you can let the group know in advance if you are unable to join so they can plan better.

Town Management

After each mission, you will return to town, where you can rest, upgrade, and prepare for the next battle.

1. Interact with NPCs: Talk to familiar characters to receive new quests, build relationships (which can reward you with gifts), and discover hidden information.
2. Upgrade equipment: Use the gold you earn to buy weapons, armor, or support items like healing potions.
3. Town Upgrades: The group invests gold to upgrade structures like bridges, taverns, or temples, unlocking shared benefits that increase the power of their entire team.

For example, buy a meal at the tavern to temporarily increase your stats, invest in a shrine to receive a random fate card. Note that don't ignore small upgrades, although small, they can make a big difference in the next match.

Tips and notes for players

Tips for fighting

1. Coordination: Discuss with teammates before each turn to avoid overlapping actions.
2. Positioning: Pay attention to your positioning so you don't accidentally push your teammates off important squares.
3. Skill Management: Save your strong cards for the decisive moment, don't waste them early.

Some notes on control

1. Move: The move indicator is sometimes unclear, which can easily cause you to lose your turn. Observe carefully before acting.
2. Pick a Card: There have been cases where players accidentally skipped an attack despite the confirmation message. Read carefully before confirming.

Town Management: Interact with every NPC and check out every upgrade option. If you have a lot of gold, support your teammates to make the whole group stronger.

Why should you play Sunderfolk?

Sunderfolk is a turn-based strategy game where you control characters on a grid-based map filled with enemies, items, and unexpected challenges. The game is designed for co-op play, allowing you to play with friends in the same room (couch co-op) or remotely via platforms like Discord or Zoom.

Each player will use their phone or tablet as a controller, while the entire action is displayed on a shared screen like a TV, laptop, or streaming window.

It is clear that Sunderfolk, although a strategy game with an old fighting style, supports players in a unique way. With such support, you can create a team to play with friends in the most convenient and comfortable way.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 22 April 2025